FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

No. KCAA is DPS school and is one of the only K-12 public arts schools in the country.

Do you teach only the arts? What about reading, writing and math?

KCAA teaches foundational core curriculum like reading, writing, math, science, and social studies and infuses all classes with the arts. While some subjects may look more traditional from time to time, our classes have many arts integrated elements and we work with visiting artists frequently. We also enjoy the benefit of arts specialists who teach sculpture, drawing or painting, dance, music, drama, media, and more.

I live in the neighborhood. Is KCAA my home school?

No. KCAA is a magnet school and an application is required. See the Admissions tab for further details and application. To know which school is your home school check the DPS website.

What are the grade levels at KCAA?

We enroll students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade.

My child enjoys sports. Do you offer any?

There are no after school sports at elementary school. Currently our middle school offers a variety of sports, please visit the Middle School website for detailed offerings. High school students may choose to participate in sports with their own neighborhood high schools as long as they maintain academic eligibility at KCAA.

What are the materials fees, and what do the fees cover?

School fees are for 2014/15:

Elementary $35

Middle School $50

High School $70

KCAA asks that students pay a fee based on either elementary, middle or high school materials needed. Materials fees can be paid at registration, or broken up and paid at the beginning of each trimester or semester. Materials fees cover the arts supplies and consumable materials that your student uses. Fees also help stipend guest artists and industry professionals who visit and teach at the school. While our materials fees are considerably lower than many other schools in the district, we understand that they may be a hardship for some families. Please contact the main office if you have questions or concerns about the fees, or require assistance with payment.

Does your school offer Advanced Placement, Honors or Gifted and Talented classes?

Yes. KCAA is fortunate to have a Gifted and Talented Resource teacher who works with all teachers to offer advanced differentiation in the classroom. We also offer pull-out opportunities to students who require more advanced levels of study. At the secondary level classes are structured to maximize student learning, and high school students may choose from our honors, AP and concurrent enrollment courses.

My student struggles academically, what support do you offer?

KCAA is proud to have some of the finest resource and intervention teachers in the district. Our resource teachers work directly with classroom teachers and, in addition to offering pull-out sessions, also work in the classroom to offer assistance and guidance. Students who struggle are identified early through the DPS RtI process. We are also pleased to have the support of a strong ESL team for our second language learners, supporting them as they acquire the necessary skills for academic success.

Do you have a dress code? Are elementary and high school students separated? Is KCAA a safe school? What are the school rules?

No uniforms… we’re an art school! But, we do have policies about dress, please see the school’s handbook for more info.

Yes, for the most part our little ones and big ones are separated, but we do share a school and we want our big kids to learn as much as they can from our little ones so we offer supervised learning opportunities like reading buddies and artistic mentoring.

KCAA strives to be a safe and nurturing environment and the statistics prove it. In 2013/14 our behavior, attendance, parent and student satisfaction demonstrated growth in all areas. We have some of the lowest rates of suspension and highest attendance data in the West Denver Network. We hold our students to the highest expectation for behavior, and offer an array of student support services to assist with any issues.

For further policies and school rules please review the handbook. We ask all students, and their parents, to review and sign a behavior contract when they register for school.